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There I was enjoying the tepid dusk air. I noticed a woman with silky hair and supple skin about thirty yards back. I glanced in her direction and she shuffled quickly towards me. “It must be a good day” I thought as her perfume lingered in the air. However, when our gaze locked it felt like something was off, could this be a Russian spy tailing me? Maybe I’m paranoid but I kept one hand on my fandango just to be safe. When I open the door for her I realize, a shame I am not paying attention to her pert lips. I am paranoid; there are no reflections in the glass or abnormal shadows in the distance. I enter the foyer and casually swing my head to each side to get my bearings. Running potential exit strategies, identifying threats and localizing civilians; I smile as I think to myself, old habits Die Hard! As I get closer to the dark chestnut desk where the receptionist sits I could smell the heavy, buttery aroma of a botched chemical experiment. Suddenly the woman throws her arms around and speaks to me softly with her glossy lips. “Do you want some popcorn?”

Now I know John Mclane isn’t known for being the suave spy type that I imagine myself as when I’m in the movie theatre. If you haven’t seen any of the Die Hard movies basically, he likes to blow stuff up and shoot bad guys. And that’s exactly what I needed after a hectic Valentine’s Day. In this Fifth installment of the Die Hard series somehow John runs himself straight into a botched CIA mission while looking for his son. It seems that those hero genes run & gun themselves in the family. His son Jack is being held prisoner and on the run in present day Moscow. There’s a top secret file that everyone wants that brings them all to good old Chernobyl and well… you have to see the rest.

I enjoyed the acting in this movie. Bruce Willis has his character nailed and everyone seems clear of their character motivations. Jai Courtney as Jack seems a little stiff at first but learns to loosen up during his ordeal. Hoping that was actual the direction of the film maker for his character and not his actual acting style. A very strong performance from Sebastian Koch as Komorov who needs all the help he can get, but will also stand on his own with these two running around.

Special effects were great, slightly bending the laws of physics but not really smashing them apart that you would notice. There is a very well orchestrated car chase near the beginning of the film that I enjoyed immensely. As a car guy and I admit haven’t seen a well made car chase in a newer movie in quite a while. I would be stunned to hear how much collateral damage and man hours that scene alone would cost. The pace of the movie is pretty quick from beginning to end so don’t leave your seat! You will probably miss something worthwhile. I think not only Die Hard fans but action fans in general will catch some subtle nuances that John brings to the mechanics of the game.

Now I know I poked a lot of fun at this movie before seeing the previews by calling it “Die Hard 15” or “Why don’t you die, Die Hard” Titles that may be relevant in the future, but I was quite satisfied with the experience. I say it lives up to the expectations of the original movie complete with explosions, chases, humor and the occasional double cross. I won’t spoil it for you but you know it’s in there! At its heart A Good Day to Die Hard, Is a touching story about a father coaching his son on the subtleties of being a badass. There are some genuinely funny male bonding moments along with enough thrills rides to satisfy your day.
Until Next time

Yippie Kay Yay Mother…!
-Corona

[starreviewmulti id=2 tpl=20]

Who doesn’t love a good zombie story? Now I’ve been a fan of the Resident Evil Games and their movies since the first time a zombie dog crashed through a window as I dropped the dual shock. I am pretty sure I’m the only one here at WhaddupNow with the tools and training required to survive the zombie apocalypse. That being said, I’m not really looking forward to movies like World War Z. It seems like the zombie genre is getting way too generic after an awesome series like The Walking Dead.

Here is your typical scenario. Someone is always racing to find a cure through extreme odds. They can’t trust anyone that has the look of hunger in their eyes, but somehow they run into a like minded survivor. They encounter a Corpus Vigere and learn to shoot it in the head or sever the brain stem in an entertaining way. Eventually someone gets and turns on their friends. You know standard stuff.

But have you ever wondered what the zombie thought about you? Of course not because we are told zombies don’t think! This is why I was somewhat thrilled at the concept behind warm bodies. Shaun of the Dead was a hilarious departure to the standard shoot them in a head flick. This movie hopes to achieve sort of the same glory but gives us the zombie perspective.

This movie is a good break from the nameless, faceless, groaning flesh bags that want to eat your brains shtick. Our Protagonist R explains his zombie habits by being nothing more than forgetting who he was because well… he’s the living dead. Oh and by the way they don’t eat your brains because they want to, but because they have to. As a bonus to eating brains, that’s where all the cool memories are stored! Something happens when he sees Julie blowing away his buddies in a firefight. And in a strange way, it all makes sense.

This movie has quite a bit of humor in it regarding the zombie culture but it is well balanced with some action and tender moments. I wouldn’t call it suspenseful but there are some moments that leave you wondering what will happen next. At it’s heart, and this is where it gets interesting… it’s a chick flick. There are some pretty corny romantic subtexts but they also manage to poke fun at themselves which I like.

The performance by Nicholas Hoult as R was pretty spot on and he doesn’t break character. Teresa Palmer as Julie does a great job at being the girl next door that can kick your ass. There is also a shade of vulnerability to her character has that she nails.

The whole love in the apocalypse theme is played out well and the humor in it is worth a look. It’s a balanced movie but nothing really strikes me in it as memorable or exciting. I don’t think it will run into territory of cult classic anytime soon.

If you are a fellow doomsday prepper and would like something different to lighten the mood check it out. Also ladies, if you’re trying to trick your guy into watching a romantic comedy with you for Valentines Day he will probably not cringe at this one. If he doesn’t get a few laughs out of it then…maybe he’s a zombie!

Until next time (Nemesis voice) S.T.A.R.S!
-Corona

[starreviewmulti id=2 tpl=20]